Carry On, Then
by CelerySlayer
Summary: James and Lily attend a dance that they planned, everything goes better than James could've hoped, and Lily realizes something...
1. Chapter 1

"Lilykins, wake up!" Chelsea sang.

"No." I tried my hardest to ignore the bright sunlight that was streaming through my red and gold curtains.

"Don't make me use that tickling charm we've been practicing." Warily, I cracked open one eye to see my best friend smirking down on me.

"Okay! Okay, I'm up." Rubbing my eyes and brushing the hair that was plastered to my face out of my mouth, I sat up.

"Don't tell me you forgot," Chelsea said. I glanced at her through a sheet of my auburn locks.

"Huh?"

She rolled her eyes. "The _dance, _flobberworm brain, you know, the one that the Head students planned? Hint, hint, that's you and James." My eyes widened, and I gasped, now fully awake.

"Merlin!" I slapped my palm to my forehead. "What time is it?" Chelsea grinned.

"Eight fifteen."

"CHELSEA!" I yelled. "_Why did you let me sleep?_" The dance started an hour after school was over, and school started at eight thirty. The Head students had to get ready before school because we had to set up tables and make sure everything was 'festive'. Aargh, I would have to pretend to be sick in Potions so I could get out early.

I leapt out of bed, brushed my teeth, jerked my hairbrush through my unruly curls, and threw on my robes. I then sent a jet of water from my wand in Chelsea's direction.

"Bloody hell! What was that for?" She asked angrily.

"_That_, my friend, was for not waking me up." My idiotic friend only smiled knowingly.

"James will still love you if you don't look as good as me." I blushed furiously and narrowed my eyes at her.

"Shut up. You're a ruddy best mate; I don't know why I keep you around."

She smirked cheekily. "I'm a brilliant best mate, and you love me." I rolled my eyes.

"Sometimes."

* * *

><p>Finally, the day was almost over. Slughorn had readily agreed to let me out of his class early, as I had a 'headache', and I rushed up to the Heads' dorms to get ready. Finally, I found a midnight blue dress that hugged my hips and was low-cut with spaghetti straps. I put a bit of eyeliner on, and swept my hair up into a messy bun, leaving a coil free to dangle down my cheekbone. Peeking into a mirror, I decided I was presentable. I then headed down to the Great Hall.<p>

James was already there, dressed in a white Oxford shirt and slacks; he adjusted his Gryffindor tie. He turned from his task of placing the tables at the edges of the room with his wand, and when he spotted me, he stopped dead. He looked rather adorable, with his mouth hanging open and his eyes all misty. But the moment was short lived, and he snapped out of it and smirked at me.

"Alright, Evans?"

"Fine, Potter." We had actually started to be civil to each other, and he was a loyal friend. Not to mention, he didn't look at all unattractive with the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt contrasting with his tan, muscular forearms. Those forearms that would feel so- _NO! BAD! BAD LILY! YOU DO _NOT _THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS! _ _Oh, but admit it, with him wearing his Oxford shirt and Marauder smirk so perfectly, he looks bloody sexy. Fine,_ she admitted to herself. _He's sexy. So what? _

I realized that my mouth was open, and that James was still devouring the sight of me. We had probably stood there for about thirty seconds. Then we both seemed to notice that the other was watching, and we started. I cleared my throat and squared my shoulders. "Well, shall we?" I stated.

"Er, yes. I'll just go… check on the food! Yes," He said awkwardly. He quickly excited the room, brushing my hand on the way, sending a shiver down my spine and leaving fire in my fingertips.

I said aloud, "Oh, Merlin, Lily, not him, not the git you couldn't stand to look at for six years, you don't-"

"You don't what?" A laughter tinged voice inquired. I whirled around to see a boy, black-haired and gray-eyed, standing before me.

_"__Sirius!"_

"Hello, Lily flower darling. How are you this fine afternoon?" I rolled my eyes. "Muttering about our dear Jamesie, were we?" He smirked. "I never knew you actually _fancied _him, miss 'Potter, you are an arrogant toerag', but I suppose I could've guessed."

"I do not fancy James sodding Potter."

"_Au contraire, _dear, you-" He poked me in the shoulder- "were talking to yourself about him." I flushed, probably resembling a tomato. "You're in denial."

"And you-" I poked him in the shoulder- "are in need of mental help. Potter fancies me, that doesn't mean those feelings are mutual." Sirius only smiled knowingly.

"Whatever you say, Lilykins, you know the truth." And he swaggered of.

No. NO, Lily Evans, nope, nope, nope. You don't fancy him, no matter what bloody Sirius says. Then my brain went off into Wonderland. _Lily Potter. That actually has a nice ring to i- _STOP IT! You can be his friend, no more. _But why? _A small part of her wondered.

Then I remembered what I was supposed to be doing. Oh, Merlin, I had fifteen minutes! Staring at the pile of decorations before me, I put sticking charms on the backs and hung them with my wand. I dimmed the lights and charmed them to change colors. Putting on the music, I stepped back and inspected the place, It looked good, I'll be honest. _But… _oh. The food. Where was it?

I hurried to the portrait of the bowl of fruit and tickled the pear. It swung aside. Right after I climbed in, I ran into a wall. It was covered in fabric. And then it talked to me. "Oh, Lily! Sorry," it mumbled. Realizing that the wall was James, I backed away. It registered in my mind that it must've been his muscles that were so solid. _Bloody hell, Quiddage does a body good. BAD LILY!_

"So, uh, how's the food?" I blurted. James ran his fingers through his hair, and his cheeks turned the faintest shade of pink.

"It's ready; the House Elves are sending it up now." I nodded.

"Come on, we should get back before the dance starts." We hurriedly walked back to the Great Hall, where a few early-comers were picking at the food.

* * *

><p>Most of the night was a blur. A huge, tiring, yet fun blur. The music was loud, the punch spiked, and witches and wizards laughing and dancing. I caught James staring at me multiple times. He looked adorable; he was completely spaced out, his specs were askew on his face, his hazel eyes glassed over. But I could only like him as a friend. Remember, Lils? A very, very good friend. But again I had to ignore the tiny voice in the back of my mind that wondered why.<p>

Suddenly he arose from his seat and began loping towards me. Crap. I was in trouble. I tried to flee, but he caught my wrist and spun me to face him. "May I have this dance, Lady Evans?" Then he smiled, not his usual mischievous smirk, but a true smile that melted my soul. I couldn't say no. Blushing so much that spots danced before my eyes, I replied.

"Er, okay." He took my pale hands into his tan ones and laced our fingers together. One arm snaked around my waist, and he pulled me closer, so close that I could see the wisps of green and gold in his eyes. So close that I could hear his breathing, and feel his heart beating erratically. Then it struck me, like an epiphany. He was alive. He was living, breathing, loving; he had real feelings and emotions. He wasn't cool and composed, he was nervous; he was heated passion waiting to be released. James was ice with lava inside. James Potter was alive, and he lived for me. All the emotion that was pent up and locked away for years, it was all for me. He loved me. It wasn't about the chase, the chase that had been preventing me from realizing that I loved him too.

My eyes widened with the newfound knowledge. Staring into his bespectacled ones, I murmured, "I love you too." James went rigid.

"I, er… what? Did you just say-" I shushed him.

"You really love me, don't you? It's not just about the chase." Now his eyes widened.

"Lily! Of course I love you! It's never been about the chase! Oh, Merlin, is that why you wouldn't go out with me?" I gulped and nodded. James looked relieved. He smirked, and my resolve was crushed into tiny little bits and blown away by the wind.

I yanked on his tie and brought his lips down onto mine. Hands finding the small of my back, he pulled me even closer, obliterating any space between us. We snogged like we had been doing it our whole lives, his tongue probing my mouth. I sucked on his bottom lip and gasped slightly. Pulling away, I grinned at him. I looked around the room. Chelsea was gaping at me, and the Marauders were cheering and patting each other on the backs. James and I bowed, and then I grabbed his hand, still smiling.

"Come on," I whispered. I led him up to the Gryffindor common room, and he backed me up against a wall.

Kissing his way down my collarbone, he mumbled, "Go out with me, Evans?" As his forest and cinnamon scent filled my nose, I ran my fingers through his unruly black locks. I put two fingers under his chin, and his eyes met mine.

"Yes."

* * *

><p>AN- I am, for some unfathomable reason, splitting this up into chapters. I have no idea why. I suppose the title will make more sense after you read part two (though it's very short, sorry, I have no attention span).


	2. Chapter 2

"Ah! Stop!" I shrieked. James, my relentless torturer, only grinned. I writhed in pleasurable pain under his brutal tickling. Then we were kissing, his weight settling on top of me, both of us lying down on the squashy red and gold Gryffindor couch. His lips still pressed against mine, he started tickling me again. I squeezed out from underneath him and fled to the far side of the room. He got up and followed. Still grinning, he leaned in again the guided us over to an armchair, where I plopped down in his lap. Strong arms wrapped around me, he started kissing my neck. Just then the portrait opened and Sirius strode in.

"Ugh, could you two be any gushier? It's quite repulsive, honestly." I shot him a glare. James looked up.

"Well, as I remember, you were the one who walked in on us," he said matter-of-factly.

Sirius smirked. "Carry on, then."

* * *

><p>AN- I had a lot of trouble coming up with a title for this one. I considered a bunch of random ones, like _Dance With You, A Dance to Remember,_ etc., but I think this one's perfect because Sirius says it. Sirius is such a big part of Jily, and he's overlooked a lot. It makes me sad. Well, this one's for you, Sirius, we love you! Pleez write review. Reviews make me happy.


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